Tag: San Francisco Giants (Page 37 of 38)

      Big Unit heading to San Francisco?

      December 5, 2008 /

      Randy Johnson might soon be chasing his 300th win in San Francisco next year, as he’s considering playing for the Giants in 2009.

      The 45-year-old left-hander is keen on extending his career, and he will consider pitching in either San Francisco or Oakland next season, according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle.

      A local from nearby Walnut Creek and a graduate of Livermore High School, Johnson is familiar with the territory and has pitched and excelled in both American and National Leagues. Last season, Johnson went 11-10 with a 3.91 ERA in 30 starts for the Diamondbacks while pitching in his 21st big league season.

      But the Giants and A’s would not be alone in pursuit of Johnson, as there have been a number of inquiries.

      “We’ve had about 10 teams contact us,” said Barry Meister, one of Johnson’s agents. “We’ve had discussions with a lot of teams in general, including the Giants. The Giants have expressed interest in us.

      This actually wouldn’t be such a bad move for the Giants. They have a spot open in their rotation because they chased off Kevin Corriea, and their two top picks from the 2007 draft (Madison Bumgarner and Tim Alderson) are still a year or two away from joining the big league club. Even at 45-years old, a team could do a lot worse than the Big Unit. And with CY Young Winner Tim Lincecum, as well as improving youngsters Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez at the front of the rotation, maybe Johnson can mask Barry Zito’s awful performances. (He would also be a hell of a lot cheaper than CC Sabathia, who the Giants have been linked to as well this offseason.)

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      Yankees believe they’re the only serious suitors for CC Sabathia

      December 4, 2008 /

      From Ken Davidoff at Newsday:

      CC SabathiaAs the Angels distanced themselves from Sabathia, leaving the Yankees poised to land their top target, the Braves moved closer toward signing Burnett, another item on the Yankees’ radar.

      Angels general manager Tony Reagins, meanwhile, told MLB.com late Tuesday that his top free-agent target remained Mark Teixeira, rather than Sabathia. Reagins said there was “nothing to” reports that the Angels, who clearly need offense more than they need pitching, were shifting their focus from Teixeira to Sabathia.

      With none of the other West Coast teams expressing much interest, Sabathia is left with the Yankees’ offer of six years and about $140 million and the Brewers’ offer of five years and $100 million. As much as Sabathia prefers the NL, he probably doesn’t prefer it enough to leave $40 million on the table.

      If they can sign Sabathia, the Yankees will be all but out of the running for Teixeira, and probably Manny Ramirez, as well. They’ll try to land Lowe while continuing their attempt to bring back Andy Pettitte at a pay cut.

      I’m still of the mind that one of the California teams – Angels, Dodgers, Giants – will make a big move for Sabathia and he’ll wind up in his hometown state. He wants to play in his hometown state, he wants to hit and if one of those teams are willing to give him a fair deal, than he’ll likely jump. If he’s all about the money, than the Yankees are his only option because they’re going to come up with the green in the end.

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB, Rumors & Gossip

      A’s talking to Rafael Furcal – Giants a better fit?

      November 26, 2008 /

      Free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal is heading to Oakland to talk contract with the A’s according to the MLB.com.

      Possibly demonstrating that he’s in the final stages of his decision-making process, Furcal, widely considered the top shortstop available in free agency, traveled to Oakland to meet with A’s officials. Accompanied by his wife, Glenny, and his agent, Paul Kinzer, Furcal stopped at the Oakland Coliseum, drove through neighborhoods where he might live and had lunch with A’s general manager Billy Beane.

      Kinzer confirmed Furcal’s trip, which was initially reported by FoxSports.com.

      “We just wanted to look around and see how [Furcal] felt about the area before he went further,” Kinzer told MLB.com. “He did like it, and he was fine with the area.”

      Furcal, who’s coming off a three-year, $39 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is reportedly seeking a four-year contract. Kinzer was staying in the Bay Area overnight, indicating that he could conduct face-to-face negotiations with the A’s on Wednesday.

      Furcal, 31, appeared in only 36 regular-season games last season due to a lower back injury. But that indirectly increased his free-agency value, since he didn’t play enough to qualify for the Elias Sports Bureau rankings and thus won’t cost the team that signs him a selection in next June’s First-Year Player Draft.

      I might be naive, but I believe Furcal still has a lot to offer at this stage of his career. Injuries have sidetracked an otherwise bright future, but I think he knows this is it for him. He’s not going to land another big contact again and he knows he has to perform. I don’t know if heading to the AL is such a wise move, however. The Giants are also interested, and they might be a better fit considering they like to run and he wouldn’t block any top prospects.

      MLB, Rumors & Gossip

      Angels zeroing in on CC Sabathia?

      November 25, 2008 /

      Top pitching free agent CC Sabathia might be heading to a Los Angeles ball club – although not the LA club many thought he might land with.

      The Angels, not the Dodgers, have apparently turned their attention from first basemen Mark Teixeira to Sabathia.

      CC SabathiaThe Angels, unwilling to meet Mark Teixeira’s desire for a 10-year contract, are in discussions with CC Sabathia and could offer him a contract that approaches the $140-million bid extended to him by the New York Yankees.

      Scott Boras, the agent for Teixeira, represented Carlos Beltran four years ago and set the same asking price: 10 years for $200 million. Beltran did not sign with the Mets until January, for seven years and $119 million. By then, other top free agents had signed elsewhere.

      Boras declined to comment on how many years Teixeira has requested.

      Milwaukee reportedly has offered Sabathia five years and $100 million to return, with the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants among other interested teams. Sabathia grew up in the San Francisco area and has expressed interest in playing for a California team. Greg Genske, Sabathia’s agent, did not return phone calls.

      I see five true contenders in the Sabathia race: Brewers, Dodgers, Giants, Angels, Yankees.

      The Yankees will throw the most money at him, but the Dodgers, Brewers and Giants allow him to hit regularly like he wants to. The Angels allow him to play in his home state, but why would he choose the Halos over the Dodgers or Giants and the opportunity to hit?

      I say he winds up with the Dodgers. They’ll be able to balance out what seems to matter to him most – hitting, money and playing in Cali. The Giants will eventually bow out because of the Barry Zito gaff and the Brewers aren’t as appealing as the Dodgers.

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      No big signings, but a few rumbles of thunder

      November 22, 2008 /

      It’s been over a week since the period of free agency officially began, and yet we have no big signings just yet. That doesn’t mean there haven’t been talks, or even money offered. But it does mean that certain players and their agents just aren’t ready to make hasty decisions without weighing multiple options, and perhaps driving prices up into the stratosphere.

      Brewers’ GM Doug Melvin was miffed that the Yankees made the kind of offer they knew the Brewers couldn’t match–$130 or $140 million over six years, where the Brewers were hoping for more in the $100 million range. The Dodgers reportedly are getting set to offer CC between $110 to $120 million, plus the comforts of living on the west coast and getting the chance to swing a bat every five days. The Dodgers are also interested in trading for Toronto’s Roy Halladay, who suddenly is being mentioned in trade rumors. If the Dodgers are not able to sign CC or trade for Halladay, word is they will put their resources into re-signing one Manny Ramirez. Oh, and the Giants are also talking about making CC an offer. Imagine CC and NL MVP Tim Lincecum at the top of the rotation, something that could shift the balance of power in the NL West.

      There is likely to be a bidding war between the Red Sox, Jays, Yankees, Orioles, Braves and Phillies for righty AJ Burnett, the most coveted pitcher in the free agent pool not named CC.

      If you saw the Mets’ bullpen blow about a quarter of their losses last season (okay, maybe more), you know that GM Omar Minaya has made the pen a priority in the off-season. So not only are the Mets looking to sign a free agent stud like Francisco “K-Rod” Rodriguez or Brian Fuentes, they are also looking to trade for Seattle’s JJ Putz or newly acquired Rockies’ pitcher Huston Street. The terribly ineffective Aaron Heilman is being dangled as trade bait, but for the names they’re looking at, the Mets would probably have to offer up a lot more than that.

      Talks seem to keep breaking down about the Padres trading Jake Peavy…first with the Braves, then with the Cubs (after they re-signed Ryan Dempster)….and now the Yankees are being mentioned. Hmmm.

      And Mark Teixeira is being mentioned in the same breath as the words “Washington Nationals.” Raise your hand if you saw that coming…..

      Bullz-Eye Sports Channel, Fantasy Baseball, MLB, Rumors & Gossip

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